皇家华人

Students are examining how literature has risen to the challenge of representing global climate change.

A听second-year taught听module听for BA Comparative Literature听is giving its听students听insight听into听prominent critical debates听taking place听in literature that surround听climate change and other impacts that humanity is having on the planet.听

The Anthropocene is听the听most听recent period in Earth's history, during which听human activity started to have a significant impact on the planet's climate and ecosystems.听

鈥淭he first part of the course focuses on听what is meant by the term Anthropocene and how听it听has affected literary history,鈥澨齟xplains听Professor听Florian Mussgnug (UCL School of European Languages, Culture & Society, SELCS), who co-convenes the module听with his departmental colleagues听Dr Hans听Demeyer听and听Professor听Jakob听Stougaard-Nielsen.听

鈥淲e explore its effects on categorising the past into discrete, named periods听and on听the cultural understanding of persistent and emergent global inequalities.鈥澨�

Students investigate several alternative concepts, such as听the听Capitalocene, proponents of which argue that听the climate crisis is being driven by the globalisation of markets.听鈥淲e want them to inquire further听into the relation between humanity听and nature, and听the听socioeconomic consequences of ecological devastation,鈥� explains听Dr听Demeyer.听听

Among the set texts听is听鈥楢nthropocene Fictions: The Novel in a Time of Climate Change鈥� by Adam听Trexler.听听

The theoretical side of the module is accompanied by analyses of novels, short stories and poetry, through which听students explore how听literature听can represent 鈥� and in some cases misrepresent 鈥� the timescales and geographic scale of the effects of humans on nature and the environment.听听

These听include听鈥楾he End We Start From鈥櫶齜y Megan Hunter, in which the narrator gives birth as a severe natural disaster hits the UK and forces her family to flee their home;听鈥楪un Island鈥� by听Amitav听Ghosh,听a novel that tackles climate change and migration;听and听a selection of听19th听and听20th-century landscape poems听from Britain and Scandinavia.听听

鈥淭he cultural history of climate starts longs before the听21st听century,鈥澨齬emarks Professor听Stougaard-Nielsen.听鈥淧oetry can听also听provide听important听insights听here.鈥澨�

鈥淎t 皇家华人, we want听to advance cross-disciplinary debates about contemporary challenges听such as climate change, and the arts and humanities play a crucial role in this endeavour,鈥� Professor听Mussgnug adds.听